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Rating: After praising Super Furry Animals and Blur... I want to exalt a more recent band: Coldplay. Their latest album, "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends" is a masterpiece, a cornerstone of rock music of the '00s.
Released on June 13, 2008, after two years in the recording studio, and after a very arduous song selection for the (scanty) tracklist and a lot of rumors (some claiming the songs sounded like Radiohead). Sure, this is their "Ok Computer", the music they produced previously takes a step forward, evolves: "enough with the verse-bridge-chorus-finale structure" was the band's motto in the studio, urged by Brian Eno to modify their way of composing, which had become predictable, and to try to distance themselves from the past, from the phase of the band dubbed "Oldplay" by Will Champion.
Having made these premises, let's get to the album: the sounds, as anticipated, are completely different, the group makes use of often unorthodox instruments and merges multiple songs into a single track. The opening track, "Life In Technicolor" is an instrumental (later released in November on an EP with Chris Martin's vocals and made a single on February 2nd - the day of my birthday) where an oriental instrument, probably a sitar, dominates the other instruments. The final chord connects to the second track, "Cemeteries Of London", a folk-flamenco-rock piece where hand claps, combined with Arcade Fire-like choirs, create a dark yet triumphant atmosphere. It is followed by "Lost!", a track with a hip-hop-like base and the warm sound of a Hammond accompanying Martin's lyrics. I don't know why, but this track reminds me as much of "Give Peace a Chance" by Lennon as "One" by U2... they have little in common... anyway, the band stated that they listened a lot to Blur while writing the album, and in particular, this song is inspired by "Sing", a track from my favorite band dating back to 1991.
The fourth track, "42", is one of the album's highlights: suffice it to say that Coldplay wrote it inspired by masterful pieces like "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead and "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. It's not as complex as the two aforementioned songs, but it combines three different melodies in one: it starts as a rather sad piano ballad, then evolves into a fairly heavy instrumental for the band (which wrote it thinking of Tinariwen and Rammstein) and closes with super-triumphant choirs where the echo of Arcade Fire is very much felt (again????).
Then comes a novelty: two songs in one, "Lovers In Japan/Reign Of Love", combined to allow Itunes users to pay 1 and get 2... fun, right? The first was released as a single, being very radio-friendly: a disco-ish base supports a lively piano for a track that reminds me a lot of U2, the second is an atypical track, a piano ballad with an ancient feel, improvised by the band for 20 minutes and reduced to less than three here...
Moving on, the album is a succession of other gems: "Violet Hill", the first single, is an atypical ska-blues-britpop, "Viva La Vida" needs no description with all the success it has had (it became the band's most successful single, selling 9 million copies and surpassing Clocks); "Strawberry Swing", the next likely single for which the band just shot the video, is a positive afro-pop, calm, relaxing, with a cello that supports the entire piece, always playing the Ab. The second double track, "Yes/Chinese Sleep Chant" begins with the darkest track of the album, where Martin sings low notes as in no previous song of the group and where violins and tabla contribute to evoking the East. The second is a Radiohead-like track, where the voice is rarefied, overwhelmed by the instruments... it could be defined as a shoegaze track. It all closes with "Death And All His Friends", a track where the band tries different timings (in some parts, beats are 7/8) and where the structure is quite composite, somewhat in the style of "42". A few seconds pass, and the ghost track "The Escapist" begins, a striking track also present before "Life In Technicolor", extremely relaxing, which I would define as dream rock, in the style of Sigur Ròs.
The album, as I said, was followed in November by an EP titled Prospekt's March, which included discarded tracks and revisions of those contained in this wonderful cd.
A note, though: nothing more is known about the much-referenced "Famous Old Painters" during the album recordings and indicated as a sensational track that would have been the pinnacle of "Viva La Vida" along with "Glass Of Water": while the latter was released on the EP and is a very possible single (so it is written in the liner notes), Famous did not appear in any release... could it be reused for the next project? I want to talk about this too...
According to Coldplay's latest statements, the next album, scheduled for 2010, will continue on the experimental path taken with "Viva La Vida". In particular, the various members said they are experimenting with new rhythms (like 5/4 and 7/4) and also new genres: the drummer says he is specializing in playing faster, the group is drawing inspiration from jazz, nu rave, and Arabic music... we'll see! I'm eagerly waiting... but the band has already denied being able to release a new album by the end of the year, as they had planned, because they want to experiment a lot... hopefully next year!!!
How many stars to give? 5 are not enough... this is the classic legendary album for which something more is needed: at least 5 golden stars... well, I think the group will settle for 5!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Cemeteries of London (03:20)
At night they would go walking ‘till the breaking of the day,
The morning is for sleeping…
Through the dark streets they go searching to see God in their own way,
Save the nighttime for your weeping…
Your weeping…
Singing la lalalalala la lé…
And the night over London, hey…
So we rode down to the river where the toiling ghosts spring,
For their curses to be broken…
We’d go underneath the arches where the witches are in the saying,
There are ghost towns in the ocean…
The ocean…
Singing la lalalalala la lé…
And the night over London, ey…
God is in the houses and God is in my head… and all the cemeteries in London…
I see God come in my garden, but I don’t know what he said,
For my heart it wasn’t open….
Not open…
Singing la lalalalala la lé…
And the night over London, ey…
Singing la lalalalala la lé…
There’s no light over London today…
04 42 (03:57)
Those who are dead are not dead
They're just living in my head
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well, oh
Time is so short
And I'm sure
There must be something more
Those who are dead are not dead
They're just living in my head, oh
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well
Time is so short
And I'm sure
There must be something more
You thought you might be a ghost
You thought you might be a ghost
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You thought you might be a ghost
You thought you might be a ghost
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You didn't get to heaven but you, oh, oh
Those who are dead are not dead
They're just living in my head
06 Yes / Chinese Sleep Chant (07:06)
When it started, we had high hopes
Now my back's on the line, my back's on the ropes
When it started, we were alright
But night makes a fool of us in the daylight
There we were dying of frustration
Singing, "Lord lead me not into temptation"
But it's not easy when she turns you on
Sin, stay gone
If you'd only, if you'd only say yes
Whether you will's anybody's guess
God, only God knows I'm trying my best
But I'm just so tired of this loneliness
So, up they picked me by the big toe
I was held from the rooftop, then they let go
Dizzily screaming, "Let the windows down"
As I crawl to the ground
If you'd only, if you'd only say yes
Whether you will's anybody's guess
God, only God knows she won't let me rest
But I'm just so tired of this loneliness
I've become so tired of this loneliness
07 Viva la Vida (04:04)
I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own
I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"
One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand
I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never
Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world
It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become
Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?
I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
08 Violet Hill (03:49)
Was a long and dark December
From the rooftops I remember
There was snow
White snow
Clearly I remember
From the windows they were watching
While we froze
Down below
When the future's architectures
By a carnival of idiots on show
You'd better lie low
If you love me
Won't you let me know?
Was a long and dark December
When the banks became cathedrals
And the fog
Became God
Priests clutched onto bibles
Hollowed out to fit their rifles
And the cross was held aloft
Bury me in armor
When I'm dead and hit the ground
A love back home unfolds
If you love me
Won't you let me know?
I don't want to be a soldier
Who the captain of some sinking ship
Would stow, far below
So if you love me
Why did you let me go?
I took my love down to Violet Hill
There we sat in snow
All that time she was silent still
So if you love me
Won't you let me know?
If you love me,
Won't you let me know?
09 Strawberry Swing (04:09)
They were sitting
They were sitting
In the strawberry swing
Every moment was so precious
They were sitting
They were talking
In the strawberry swing
Everybody was for fighting
Wouldn't wanna waste a thing
Cold, cold water
Bring me round
Now my feet
Won't touch the ground
Cold, cold water
What ya say?
It's such
It's such a perfect day
It's such a perfect day
I remember
We were walking up
To strawberry swing
I can't wait 'til the morning
Wouldn't wanna change a thing
People leaving all the time
Inside
A perfectly straight line
Don't you wanna curve away
It's such
It's such a perfect day
It's such a perfect day
Now the sky could be blue
I don't mind
Without you
It's a waste of time
Could be blue
I don't mind
Without you
It's a waste of time
Could be blue
Could be grey
Without you
I'm just miles away
Could be blue
I don't mind
Without you
It's a waste of time
10 Death and All His Friends / The Escapist (06:18)
All winter
We got carried
Or way over on the rooftops just get merry
All summer we just hurry
So come over just be patient and don't worry
So come over just be patient and don't worry
So come over just be patient and don't worry
So come over just be patient and don't worry
So come over just be patient and don't worry
And don't worry
Try
Try
Try
No I don't want to battle from the year to end
I don't want to cycle and recycle revenge
I don't want to follow death and all of his friends...
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Other reviews
By Chopinsky
Coldplay have changed, folks, but they do not betray their nature and continue to pursue their poetry with the usual, disarming honesty.
"Viva la vida or Death and all his friends" is not Coldplay's "Kid-A". The much-heralded experimentation did not find confirmation... But that's fine. In fact, it's great.
By GrantNicholas
Viva La Vida is certainly not an album as good as the previous ones; you surely won’t find a 'Fix You' or a 'Trouble', but we’re not facing a poor album either.
The hidden track 'Chinese Sleep Chant' surprises, dark and ambiguous like no Coldplay song has ever been.
By Doherty
It all opens with the entirely instrumental track "Life in Technicolor", a more than 2-minute gallop that borders on instrumental perfection.
"Viva la Vida" emerges with a total absence of guitars and a joyful rhythm and choir that elevate the track to a veritable anthem of happiness.
By nss_gabriele
"It’s just the freedom to say 'It can’t please everyone. We’re in it right now, so let’s just do it.'"
"An album fresh, bright, dynamic, with a universal scope, that resides in that seldom-treaded territory between pop banalities and the acido-cacophonic extremes of experimentation."
By davoz
It is precisely that pronounced melodicism... which is compromised by the work of the Woodbridge genius.
One is decidedly disappointed... a misstep, but nothing to worry about.
